


The Tudors, Season 4, Episode 7, Sixth and the Final Wife

by TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer



Category: The Tudors (TV)
Genre: Analysis, Episode Review, Episode: s04e07 Sixth and the Final Wife, Meta, Nonfiction, Season/Series 04, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:14:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28076793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer/pseuds/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer
Summary: Warning: Contains spoilers for the episode and the rest of the series. Complete.
Kudos: 8





	The Tudors, Season 4, Episode 7, Sixth and the Final Wife

Open to Henry appointing Charles Brandon leader of the troops, and Charles Brandon accepts with a speech about how he’d rather die in battle than in his bed. Henry continues a duke will be making an unofficial visit from the emperor. Then, he goes on about what an honest and virtuous prince he’s always been.

The next scene is of Henry and Katherine marrying. Naturally, Charles Brandon is best man.

They have dinner, and it’s established Katherine’s sister is a lady-in-waiting. Having known Mary for years, Katherine is determined to be a good stepmother to her and the others, and as such, she’d like to get close to the princeling and Elizabeth.

Agreeing she can invite them to court more often, he says he’ll consider giving Elizabeth permanent lodgings at court. However, he doesn’t want the princeling coming too often for fear of catching an infection.

As usual, he starts in with the gifts.

Later, Tom and N2 come to talk to Charles Brandon in a weapons room. They both have new duties for the war, and it turns out Edward is against the war on the grounds Henry is already physically disabled and mentally unstable. A war might make him even worse on both accounts, and the kingdom would be in serious trouble if Henry were to die right now.

Though this isn’t blatantly out-of-character, I get the feeling it was hastily thrown in due to Max Brown being unavailable for the episode.

N2 asks how Henry is, and Charles Brandon insists Henry will lead the soldiers. He gives a speech about him and Henry both wanting to reclaim their youth and honour.

Meanwhile, the duke arrives in court, and Henry welcomes him. It turns out the duke has been enjoying some good ole fashion animal cruelty. Henry promises Mary and Katherine will keep the duke further entertained, but all the duke wants is assurance Henry’s ready to attack France. Henry throws a hissy fit about his word being above reproach.

At the feast, the duke is introduced to Mary and Katherine. Mary surprises everyone, including him, by kissing him on the face. They speak in Spanish, and he’s surprised to know she knows the language. She makes the point she’s her Spanish mother’s daughter.

As everyone dances, Eustace and Ambassador Snape have at it.

Elizabeth begs Kat Ashley to let her dance, and KA agrees.

Gardiner talks to Risley about Katherine’s religious beliefs, and Risley says he’s sure her religious beliefs align with her husband’s. Disagreeing, Gardiner intends to destroy her. Risley asks if the risk of Henry’s anger is worth doing so, and Gardiner answers in the affirmative.

Later, Katherine bursts into Henry’s chambers. The physician explains Henry’s ulcer has burst, and gently ignoring Henry’s protests, Katherine begins treating Henry’s leg. She makes it clear her bed will be moved into Henry’s room until his leg is better.

Outside, men are training with guns, and Charles Brandon is mopey about how they used to do wars.

Then, a man who looks a lot like a young Charles Brandon impresses everyone with his shooting skills. One man in particular, who’s shorter and trimmer, as Henry is to Charles Brandon in the show, comes up congratulate him. His name is Harry, and it’s official: They’re an alternate look at Henry and Charles Brandon.

Incidentally, Richard is the alternate Charles Brandon’s name.

After Richard is done talking to older, alternate version of himself, Harry comes over to show his awe at Richard’s skills. Richard asks what he can do, and the answer is he’s a farm labourer. “I can herd cows, shovel shit, and build fences.”

“Well, I wish I had half your talent, Harry,” Richard says, and they walk off together.

At the castle, Katherine is introduced to the princeling. Thanking her for the presents she sent, he asks her to tell his father thank you for the gifts he sent. He reasons Henry must love him, or else he wouldn’t send such gifts.

Katherine tries to assure him his father does love him and would see him more if he could, but the princeling is soon led away.

In the next scene, Henry is mad at his council because, shockingly, properly preparing for war takes time. He decides they’re going to go into battle within ten days, never mind proper preparation. He’s leaving Katherine as regent, and Edward is staying behind due to his objections to the war.

The meeting is dismissed, and as he did with Cromwell, Rich complains to Gardiner about how Henry making Katherine regent is going to screw up their religious plans.

I have to wonder if Rich has any actual religious opinions of his own or if he genuinely switches beliefs with little trouble. It’s hard to tell how prevalent atheism and agnosticism were back then due to the fact no one without a death wish would admit to being one, and I sort of wonder if Rich is being subtly presented as someone uncaring about or unbelieving in God and presenting a conformation of his beliefs to whoever’s he’s decided to team up with. Another possibility is he’s something of a nondenominational Christian who personally believes God doesn’t care how different people worship but is willing to enforce the ideas of how the more powerful believe worship should be done.

Elsewhere, making his wishes clear to Katherine, Henry tries to comfort a crying Mary. Elizabeth doesn’t seem to particularly care her father is leaving.

In France, Henry comes to give the troops a speech, and Harry is overjoyed to see his alternate version. Richard says, if he were French, he’d be scared.

If he were French, he might have some idea what Henry’s actually like.

Henry’s speech causes cheering, and Harry yells, “Long live the king!”

Hello, foreshadowing. It’s nice to see you.

Next, the English try to breech the castle using cannons and guns.

In England, Katherine orders a servant to deliver something to Edward Seymour.

A clergyman named Latimer (no relation to her) comes in. It turns out Bishop Gardiner took his bishop status away. Katherine wants to appoint him to her household, and he warns this might be a bad idea due to his reputation. She doesn’t care, and they discuss their mutual belief everyone should be able to read The Bible in their native tongue. Then, asking him to be careful around Mary, she voices her respect for Mary’s loyalty to Catalina’s religion.

He leaves, and Katherine’s sister voices her uneasiness with the man’s appointment. However, since Katherine was forced to marry Henry, she’s determined to use the power given to her to help the Reformation as much as she can.

In France, it’s raining. Richard and Harry sit on a bench, and insisting said rain won’t last forever, Richard whistles.

Meanwhile, inside a large, dry tent, a man goes to see Henry, and they discuss mining to take the castle.

Later, Harry is one of the miners.

Inside the tent, people continue talking battle.

There’s a shot of Frenchmen emerging from somewhere.

In the tent, there’s more talk of battle, and bursting in, a man says the French have possibly escaped.

Next, Charles Brandon and some men go to fight the French. A man is wounded, his sweet Polly Oliver daughter rushes to him, and Charles Brandon and his men have no idea what to do with the now-unarmed woman.

In addition, I notice N2 and Charles Brandon aren’t wearing armour. Unfortunately, however, this stupidity doesn’t result in the former getting brutally stabbed.

Later, they have the woman under guard in a tent. She refuses the food Charles Brandon brings her, and he promises her father’s still alive. It’s revealed her name is Brigitte.

They discuss why the English are in France, and she wants to be released so that she can go on killing the English.

It’s a funny line, but it isn’t a good one. Brigitte is sometimes dangerously impulsive, and later episodes will show her continuing to make stupid choices, but she’s not a stupid character.

Charles Brandon asks how the people are in town, if they have enough food, etc. Telling himself not to concern himself over such things, she calls Henry a monster.

For all Charles Brandon will always love Henry, he can’t find it in himself to disagree or even get angry and/or offended on Henry’s behalf.

Meanwhile, Gardiner is praying, and coming in, Risley exposits about Katherine appointing Latimer.

Back in France, Harry and Richard discuss their respective duties, and it’s established Harry has a pregnant wife. Naturally, this doesn’t stop him from considering visiting a prostitute until Richard points out he doesn’t know what sort of diseases he could be exposing himself to. Richard asks what Harry’s hoping for. Of course, the answer is a boy.

Even if Harry wasn’t an alternate version of Henry, this answer was easy to see coming. Yet, there are actually fathers who don’t have a deep desire for boys. I know of some personal examples, but it’s rare for the media or literature to present the men who desperately want a little girl or even just the ones who honestly don’t care what sex his child is.

In England, Katherine writes a letter to Henry. There are intercuts of her and the people in France.

Finishing reading the letter, Henry grabs his leg in pain.

Outside, Harry and a prostitute make eyes at one another, but as she starts to approach him, she ends up falling either unconscious or dead.

Meanwhile, a figure in a black hood carrying a lantern creepily walks toward the tent. However, it turns out he’s just a doctor come to see Henry. Henry isn’t pleased with the fact the miners occasionally need to stop their daily and nightly digging in order to do things such as make sure the roof is secure and won’t cave in on them.

Gosh, those miners are so lazy and unreasonable.

The doctor tells Henry there’s a bad case of dysentery going around, and it’s has already killed ten soldiers.

Elsewhere, N2 and Charles Brandon talk. N2 implies Henry is insane, and Charles Brandon has no answer.

The episode ends with Henry glaring at the French castle.

Fin.


End file.
